imakeidx \index expands macros; makeindex rejects everything

Question

I have the following minimal(ish) example. This is for a technical book with lots of code samples and lots of code-keywords-appearing-in-running-text. So I have the following goals:

• A macro \code{foo} for typesetting code-keywords-in-running-text. I use the listings package for typesetting code throughout. I also use the underscore package so I don't have to escape underscores in code.
• I use the hyperref package for cross-references, plus plenty of code keywords appearing in section titles; so I use \texorpdfstring in the definition of \code.
• Two indices: a main "Index" for English words and concepts, and a second "Index of code samples". I have heard that the imakeidx package is the most standard choice for this, so I'm using it. I'm open to alternatives if they can fix my problem.
• Many, complicated, index terms. Some terms must be typeset with \code{foo}. Some must be secondary entries, as in, "iterator, std::vector::: see vector::iterator."

---

mce.tex

\documentclass[ebook,10pt,oneside,final]{memoir}

\usepackage{imakeidx}
\makeindex[name=mce,intoc,columns=2]
\makeindex[name=code,intoc,columns=2,name=code,title=Index of code samples]

\usepackage[final]{listings}
\usepackage{hyperref}
\usepackage{underscore}

\newcommand{\code}[1]{\texorpdfstring{\mbox{\lstinline[basicstyle=\ttfamily]`#1`}}{#1}}

\newcommand{\codeblockdefines}[1]{\index[code]{#1@\code{#1}}}  % for example, \codeblockdefines{list_of_int}
\newcommand{\codeindex}[1]{\index{#1@\code{#1}}}  % for example, \codeindex{const_iterator}
\newcommand{\codeindexstd}[1]{\index{namespace std@\code{namespace std}!#1@\code{#1}}}  % for example, \codeindexstd{vector}

\begin{document}

\tableofcontents

Here's an example of using \code{std::vector}.
\codeindexstd{vector}
\codeindex{std::vector}
\codeblockdefines{vector}

\index{std@\code{std}|see {namespace std@\code{namespace std}}}

\printindex[mce]
\printindex[code]

\end{document}

---

The problem I'm seeing is that \code and maybe some other macros are getting expanded in the .idx files. When I cat these files I see this:

mce.idx

\indexentry{namespace std@\unhbox \voidb@x \hbox {\lstinline [basicstyle=\ttfamily  ]`namespace std`}!vector@\unhbox \voidb@x \hbox {\lstinline [basicstyle=\ttfamily  ]`vector`}|hyperpage}{1}
\indexentry{std::vector@\unhbox \voidb@x \hbox {\lstinline [basicstyle=\ttfamily  ]`std::vector`}|hyperpage}{1}
\indexentry{std@\code{std}|hyperindexformat{\see {namespace std@\code{namespace std}}}}{1}

code.idx

\indexentry{vector@\unhbox \voidb@x \hbox {\lstinline [basicstyle=\ttfamily  ]`vector`}|hyperpage}{1}

---

How can I make \index and the rest of my convenience macros (\codeblockdefines, \codeindex, \codeindexstd) do what I want?

Answer 1

imakeidx should be loaded before hyperref. However, your \code command is very fragile as it uses \lstinline and should be “robusted”.

\documentclass[ebook,10pt,oneside,final]{memoir}

\usepackage[final]{listings}
\usepackage{imakeidx}
\usepackage{underscore}
\usepackage{etoolbox}
\usepackage{hyperref}

\makeindex[name=mce,intoc,columns=2]
\makeindex[name=code,intoc,columns=2,name=code,title=Index of code samples]

\newrobustcmd{\code}[1]{\texorpdfstring{\mbox{\lstinline[basicstyle=\ttfamily]{#1}}}{#1}}

\newcommand{\codeblockdefines}[1]{\index[code]{#1@\code{#1}}}  % for example, \codeblockdefines{list_of_int}
\newcommand{\codeindex}[1]{\index[mce]{#1@\code{#1}}}  % for example, \codeindex{const_iterator}
\newcommand{\codeindexstd}[1]{\index[mce]{namespace std@\code{namespace std}!#1@\code{#1}}}  % for example, \codeindexstd{vector}

\begin{document}

\tableofcontents

Here's an example of using \code{std::vector}.
\codeindexstd{vector}
\codeindex{std::vector}
\codeblockdefines{vector}

\index{std@\code{std}|see {namespace std@\code{namespace std}}}

\printindex[mce]
\printindex[code]

\end{document}

I changed the \codeindex and \codeindexstd commands to point to a defined index.

The code.idx file will contain

\indexentry{vector@\code {vector}|hyperpage}{1}

whereas mce.idx contains

\indexentry{namespace std@\code {namespace std}!vector@\code {vector}|hyperpage}{1}
\indexentry{std::vector@\code {std::vector}|hyperpage}{1}

These entries are not rejected.